Former Pacific Officer Gets Five Years for Stealing Drugs in Felony Cases

Approximately a dozen Franklin County drug cases had to be dismissed last year because evidence had been stolen by a former Pacific police officer.

Prosecuting Attorney Bob Parks said in addition to dropping those cases, his office also was forced to reject a number of other pending drug cases filed by Pacific police because drug evidence was missing.

The former officer, Arthur F. Tullock, 56, pleaded guilty last March to two felony counts of stealing controlled substances.

Tullock was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison on each of the felony counts.

If he successfully completes the treatment program, he will be released from prison after 120 days. He then would be placed on five years’ supervised probation.

The former officer was charged last July in a grand jury indictment.

The indictment alleged that Tullock “appropriated” oxycodone and hydrocodone that were in the charge of the Pacific police department.

The alleged thefts described in the charges occurred on or about Dec. 12, 2013, according to the indictment.

The case was investigated by officers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Parks said Tullock had been the department’s evidence custodian at the time the thefts occurred. At one time, he also was in charge of the department’s drug take-back program in which people can dispose of unused or old prescription medications.

At his sentencing hearing Tuesday, Tullock requested to be given 24 hours to get his affairs in order, but Judge Lamke denied the request, according to online court documents.